It'll take more than the luck of the Irish for a repeat of such glorious weather for this year's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Syracuse.

Still, this is the first time in six years that the St. Patrick's Day Parade falls on St. Patrick's Day itself, March 17. (If you were thinking the parade would be the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day, or March 10 this year, now is the time to rearrange your schedule).

In recognition of the combined festivities, the parade's 2018 theme is "Dublin Down."

The parade kicks off at noon March 17. It starts at Clinton Square, then proceeds down South Salina Street to Harrison Street at the south end of downtown. Then the "after party" starts.

The parade can't be any later, according to Janet Higgins, president of the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee. "It's always the closest Saturday before March 17, or on that day if it's a Saturday," Higgins said of the parade, now in its 36th year. "It's always been that way."

Higgins credits committee member G. Kevin Barrett with suggesting "Dublin Down" as the theme, and parade public relations director Bridget Dunn for promoting the idea of "double Irish spirit when parade day is on St. Patrick's Day."

Still, Higgins admits there was some "push back" from downtown bar and restaurant owners, who had hoped for a change that would allow the parade to be held a week earlier. That would create the opportunity for two big festive "St. Patrick's" event days.

"It does change the dynamics," said David Hoyne, owner of Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub in Armory Square. "You have the convergence of two different groups -- those who go to the parade and those who celebrate the day."

When the two days are separate, especially when March 17 falls on a weekday, many people will celebrate them differently. "You might have people who celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Tipp Hill, then come downtown for parade day," Hoyne said. "It's all compressed this year."

That's what led a group of business owners to approach the committee about separating the two events.

"We, as business owners, wanted to see, can we make it a two-weekend long fest," Hoyne said. "Maybe establish that as an annual thing, keeping that flag flying for the week."

Still, Hoyne expects March 17 this year to be a crazy day, as the parade day always is. Of course, the big factor is the weather.

"If the weather holds up, then it's a big, big day," he said.

Last year, when the parade took place on March 11, cold was brutal -- 15 degrees. It also started snowing as the parade wound down.

"We will have better weather this year," Higgins said. "It has to be better than last year."